Logan and I have a complicated and sometimes volatile history, and this is my first time seeing him in months. However, I, Veronica Mars, am not one for sentiments, so when Logan asks for information about Parker, I simply relay the information about Parker.
"Parker's been missing since this morning," I tell him. "Weevil is allegedly the last one to have seen her." I look to Dick skeptically. "'Allegedly' means 'supposedly.'"
Dick threw up his arms in exaggerated offense. "Why do you assume I don't know what this means?"
"Do you?" Logan begs the question.
"No," he admits, "but some have the good grace not to mention it."
"Would you look at this?" Mac notes from behind me. "The gang reunites."
"Not the whole gang," I point out. I turn to face Wallace. "Where's Piz?"
"Didn't wake him up," he tells me. "Don't worry. He's not avoiding you. Or allegedly getting coffee."
"That would have concerned me," I agree.
Huh. So the Logan-and-Veronica reunion wasn't a dramatic onslaught of emotions and swelling music. Well, with the disappearance of a friend, I suppose I get a break.
"What happens now?" Logan asks.
"Sleep," I reply emphatically.
"Sleep?" he repeats. "That doesn't seem very proactive."
"You're late to this shindig, bro," Mac informs him. "We've done our investigating."
"Personally, I've used up my supply of investigation juice," Wallace adds.
"I could use a recharge," I agree. "Now to drive all the way home and attempt not to fall asleep at the wheel." I turn to wave at all the bystanders. "Shall I see you fellas tomorrow?"
"You can crash in my room," Wallace offers.
"No, thanks," I decline.
"Don't be offended on his behalf, but Veronica is avoiding Piz because she's currently unsure of where their relationship stands in terms of awkwardness," Mac explains in unneeded detail.
"Ah," Wallace nods.
"You can…" Logan begins, then trails off.
"You can stay in my room," Mac offers instead when he doesn't finish his sentence. "Parker being gone, and all. Empty bed."
I shoot a sidelong glance at Logan, not sure what kind of emotion I should communicate with it. Gratitude? Confusion? It ends up being this sort of blank, inscrutable flick of the gaze that probably only succeeds in confusing him.
"Thanks, Mac," I say.
"No problem," she says, "except for Parker being missing and all."
It's absurd that during extended mysteries and crime drama that keeps me up until the wee hours of morning that I'm still expected to get up and go to class every day. Mac nearly drags me to breakfast in the morning.
"Come on, sleeping beauty," she urges tiredly, pulling me by the arm. "Utilize the coffee. Utilize it."
I stumble after her, and perhaps I fall asleep for part of the journey to the line for coffee, because one of the next things I realize is that I'm sitting down at a table with a coffee steaming in front of me.
"When did this get here?" I ask it in confusion.
"Perhaps drinking it will clue you in."
I take the advice and down some of the stale beverage. Mac's right. Drinking the stuff does raise my awareness of my surroundings.
And suddenly, I'm aware the we are sitting at the same table as Piz.
Like, seriously. I'm right next to him.
"Hi, Veronica," he waves limply once he realizes I've noticed him.
"Piz!"
"That's me," he concurs. "How was that prestigious and rigorous internship?"
He's smiling. He is genuinely pleased to see me.
"Great," I smile back. "How were your tedious months without me?"
"Lamentable," he replies.
I forget why I was nervous about this reunion. All that anxiety for nothing! Being around Piz is as comfortable and natural as it's always been. I think back momentarily to the volatile nature of the relationship Logan and I had shared, so glad that it's behind me.
"Why are you smiling?" Piz asks.
"I'm happy," I beam.
"I'm the third wheel," Mac points out under her breath.
"I'm Stosh Piznarski," Piz adds.
I add, "Also lamentable."
"What are you talking about? It's a majestic name."
"Before this conversation gets any more entertaining," I say, "Piz, I don't suppose you've heard about Parker?"
"What about her?"
"Are you serious?"
"Surprisingly, yes," I reply, "although I'm usually one to make so many puns and funnies about crime."
"They just took her?" Piz exclaimed. "No leads, no nothing?"
"So far."
"It's quite perplexing," Mac concludes.
Piz adds, "I concur."
"On the bright side," I forcibly perk up, "I hear teen drug use has been steadily decreasing in recent years."
Mac nods, playing along with the nonchalance.
"Hey," she says suddenly, "did that girl go to Neptune High?"
I look up to where she is staring. Sure enough, I see a familiar face. Carrie Bishop, avid gossiper of Neptune who I'd formed an eventual uneasy camaraderie with is weaving her way through the tables, seeming to look for someone. Our eyes meet eventually. I'm prepared to give a weak wave as acknowledgement and move on with my life, but when she sees me, she starts coming towards me.
"Veronica, hi," she greets when she reaches me. "I don't know if you remember me. I'm Carrie."
"Carrie Bishop, of course," I smile cordially. "One doesn't easily forget those who've faked relationships with former favorite teachers."
Mac and Piz's eyebrows shoot up. Carrie and I ignore it.
"I didn't know you went to school here," I tell her.
"Basically everyone who went to Neptune high goes here."
"Then, no offense, but why are you socially interacting with me instead of one of those other people?"
Carrie glances uneasily around the room, as if making sure no one is listening. She leans down closer to me.
"Look, I know we weren't really friends or anything," she begins, "you, like, find people and solve mysteries and stuff, right?"
Oh, Neptune, how I've missed you.
~End of Chapter~
Here's the thing.
I want to arrange this kind of like one of the seasons, with a big over-arching mystery and little mysteries in between. And romantic tension. However, I don't want to introduce a lot of original characters that you wouldn't care about, so I'm probably going to reintroduce a lot of old one-offs and characters you may or may not remember. FYI.
Have a lovely day.